GEORGE TOWN: Pahang could have crashed out of the Malaysia Cup if not for a timely wake-up call from a Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) official last Saturday.
The Pahang players had given up hope of qualifying for the quarter-finals after falling behind 2-0 to Kelantan in their final Group C match in Kota Baru.
Thinking that Negri Sembilan, who were leading Terengganu 2-1 in the other Group C match in Paroi, would qualify, the Pahang players hardly put up a fight as Kelantan raced to a 4-0 lead.
“Everybody was feeling demoralised and the team just gave up on the pitch. It was an FAM official who approached our bench to tell us that Terengganu had equalised in Paroi.
“If the Negri game had finished in a draw, then it would all come down to goal difference. We (the Pahang officials) frantically gestured to our players that we were still alive in the competition.
“The team woke up at the right moment and succeeded in preventing Kelantan from scoring more goals,” explained Pahang coach Dollah Salleh.
In the end, Pahang lost 4-0 to eventual group champions Kelantan. But the Elephants’ damage-limitation exercise allowed them to qualify in second spot by virtue of a better goal difference than Negri Sembilan, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Terengganu.
Pahang will take on in-form team PKNS FC in the quarter-finals. The first leg is at the Darul Makmur Stadium in Kuantan on Friday.
Said Dollah: “Pahang beat PKNS home and away in the Super League this year.
“But we will not have it easy in the quarters because PKNS are on a hot streak, winning five of their six Malaysia Cup matches.
“We also need to keep Patrick ‘Ronaldinho’ Wreh under wraps. He is a lethal striker who can punish us if given space and time.
“It is important that we take advantage of playing at home first to gain a comfortable cushion for the return leg.
“The Pahang fans will have a big part to play too. We hope that they turn up to cheer on the team on Friday.”
Dollah will miss the services of the suspended duo Saiful Nizam Miswan (defender) and Hafiz Kamal (midfielder) for the first leg. Skipper Jalaludin Jaafar is expected to return after recovering from an ankle injury.
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